Signoricci (1976)
by Nina Ricci

Wonderful citrus chypre of the old style. Strident, fresh, natural smelling top notes underwritten with aromatic accords and a mossy base designed to hold onto a little of the evapourated lime from earlier for that light but persistent summer green accord characteristic of the genre. To my nose this smells more natural and less aldehydic than other comparable fragrances.

A class leader.

If thou hast tired of lemon and of lyme
Know now Signoricci! No pledging burst
Which falters in a passing moments’ time,
Or dries down from the decent to the worst.

O no, it is an ever fixéd mark
Of taste on those who own rather than claim it.
Agrumes and flow'rs and musk build up an arc
So faultless, time is at a loss to maim it.

Outranking whate’er in its purview fell,
Torino-born designer’s Lord of scents,
It's glory merely aims to serve you well,
Providing substance always, ne’er pretense.

If this be error, which Turin forbid,
I ne'er inhaled, nor no man ever did.

Easily one of the very best citrus-based frags ever formulated. Having over-worn Eau Sauvage in my college days, I'm a little wary of citrus frags to start with -- a little usually goes a long way with me.

Nevertheless, I keep coming back to Signoricci time and again. The bright but dry lemon and the woody petitgrain make for a superb combination every time.

Let's just hope the house of Nina Ricci doesn't discontinue this lemony gem -- Ricci already mucked up royally by having discontinued Ricci Club a few years back.

The opening of Signoricci, though lighter, brighter, and cleaner than the original 1965 Signoricci, is still a complex, citrus accord that likely was not designed to shine in the hottest of weather. This opening has lost the thickness of galbanum from the original Signoricci and has joined the citrus to the lighter, brighter basil — it’s a marriage made in heaven; but like a lot of marriages now days, it doesn’t last…at least the citrus part of it doesn’t last to my nose. The unfaithful basil drops the citrus and goes on to unite with a refreshing vetiver for an essentially green / light wood heart accord that is unique and tantalizing. This heart accord is quite a bit more complicated than just vetiver and basil; it is supported by florals and patchouli for full depth and complexity. The base is the weakest part of the fragrance as far as I’m concerned; I wish I could smell the citrus in the base as zztopp does — I miss it entirely and it would improve the vetiver / mossy / musky base for me. I get very little sweetness or uniqueness in the base. I like it because of the vetiver, which saves it for me, but the base is simply a little too mossy for my taste. This is an excellent fragrance — certainly one of the most unique and superior citrus / green fragrances I’ve experienced. I’m not a huge fan of citruses, but this one I can recommend without hesitation.

I found two distinct note pyramids for Signoricci:

Notes-1: mandarin, petitgrain, sage, alpine lavender, haitian vetiver, exotic woods, and oak moss.

Notes-2:
Top note : Lemon, Lime, Petitgrain, Basil

Middle note : Aldehydes, Jasmine, Carnation, Mandarin

Base note : Musk, Moss, Tonka, Amber

To my nose, Signoricci smells like:
Top: Lemon, Lime, Basil
Middle: Sage, alpine lavender, petitgrain
Base: Amber, exotic woods, moss, musk

These citrus fragrances are a dime a dozen. 95% of such fragrance smell so similar, its like they have hardly evolved since the dawn of time. They all follow the standard lime-herbs-woods formula that has rendered the "my citrus is better than yours" argument irrelevant...get more creative with your EdC's perfumers! Signoricci, while not as unique as I would like it to be, is one of the better standouts of this genre. I neither have time nor care to investigate the confusion regarding which Signoricci is which ..this is another one of those maddening scenarios which perfume houses create just because the management/perfumers were too lazy to lift their pokey fingers and engage their brain to number the perfumes properly.

Signoricci opens with a crystal clear and natural smelling blast of lemon and lime. No synthetic lemon pledge or chemical warfare smell here, this is a clear and enjoyable lemon lime note which lasts! And does it ever! It squeezes its way through the heart notes and deep into the drydown where one can still catch whiffs of lime. A subtle lavender note anchors the lemon in the beginning, before being replaced by a superbly balanced petitgrain note. Unlike in some other fragrances which I couldnt be arsed to name right now, the woodiness of petitgrain is kept well in check. Its like a "dry" lemon at times. The marriage of lemons and petitgrain gives Signoricci its slightly distinctive character which is then joined by soft amber in the base to round off one of the best and long lasting lemon fragrances around.

If you are in the market for a lemon dominated citrus fragrance, Signoricci is one of the best around. Its a refreshing EdC with ample depth, quality ingredients and good longevity. I dont think its as amazing as some others make it out to be, but I would certainly put in the top tier of citrus fragrances. Alert your nose to be on the lookout for petitgrain in this one, else it might smell similar to every other Eau De Cologne (or maybe not)

Fantastic opening, but on the drydown a bit too soft for me. Indeed, discrete and non-offensive, but i miss a certain 'bite'. The basenotes are enormously long lasting, but not masculine enough for my taste. It remembers me of how my mothers shawls used to smell. Overall: good and original fragrance, but too weak and I really wonder if anyone else but yourself will scent it. So whats the point of wearing it..